10

HISTORY OF PKRSIA

admired her husband's qualities and rculi/.cd that he was
no ordinary man*
Time passed, and when Mohamed was about thirty-
five years of age the Kaaba was rebuilt. Kach of the
four divisions of the Kureish took charg^of a wall, and
when the structure had risen 4 or $ feet ahoyo the
ground, the Black Stone had to be built once again into
the east corner. The question who should have the
honour of placing the stone into position led to hated
debate until an aged citizen suggested that the first
man to arrive on the spot should He asked to decide.
By chance Mohamed came up, and, being informed of
the case, placed the stone on hiğ cloak and called on
each chier to raise a corner of it. Thus the stone was
borne into the new temple, where the humb of Mnhauu'ti
set it in position. He may well have thought that his
opportune arrival was divinely ordained. As mentioned
in Chapter XLIL, the battle of Zu-Kur was fought between
A,D. 604 and 6n. Mohamed, who followed such events
with the keenest interest, upon hearing of the victory of
the Arabs, is said to have exekimedj "This is the first
day whereon the Arabs have obtained satisfaction from
the Persians ; through me have they obtained help 1 "
Little that is worthy of note has been recorded of this
period, Mohamed, relieved of all worldly cares and
surrounded by a few faithful friends and kinsmen, was
able to devote himself to contemplation ami prayer^ and
it is related that, like other Prophets, he frequently went
into the desert to meditate,
The Divine Commission conveyed by G&Me/t~ğMu\T*&
work is nowhere more masterly than in his analysis of
the steps which led Mohamed to proclaim himself the
Prophet of God, "He was seated or wandering amidst
the peaks of Hira, buried no doubt in reveries, when
suddenly an apparition rose before him. The heavenly
Visitant stood clear and close beside him in a vision, ft
was no other than Gabriel,1 the Messenger of God, who now
appeared in the sky, and, approaching within * two bows'
length/ brought from his Master this memorable behest :
1 Muir considers that Mobaroed confined Gabriel with the "-'^"^